Brad, I am constantly surprised and delighted by the number of sources you refer to that have been important works for me as well. I read George Leonard's *The Ultimate Athlete* many, many years ago.
Your comments also bring to mind a quote of Einstein's that should speak volumes to those who believe there is no connection between science and spirituality/mysticism. "The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mystical. It is the power of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms-thisknowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong to the rank of devoutly religious men." Ch. 12, sct 5 Einstein: His Life and Times (1947) Selma ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brad McCormick, Ed.D." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 6:18 AM Subject: Re: [Futurework] FW: Meme 032 > [snip] > > *CONVERGENCE** > > Zen, Physics, And The Infinite Asking Of "Why?"* > > > > Previous issues of the Meme Pool have dwelled on the convergence of the > > sciences. There is significant promise in the new sciences that treat > > physics, chemistry and biology as one integrated study, united at the > > nanoscale. We are truly at a great threshold of understanding of matter, > > energy and life itself. No doubt, this techno-enthusiasm will continue > > in future issues. > > > > Nevertheless, the more we know, the more we know that we don't know a > > lot. In previous ages, there was a temptation to explain life's > > mysteries and complexities as acts or creations of gods. But the mystics > > and priests oversold their case by relying on theology too much in their > > explanations of physical phenomena. The rise of science created doubt > > and scepticism. Voltaire described the decline in spirituality as well > > as anyone, "It is truly extravagant to define God, angels, and minds, > > and to know precisely why God defined the world, when we do not know why > > we move our arms at will. Doubt is not a very agreeable state, but > > certainty is a ridiculous one." > > > > Mysticism and spirituality are not going away. Indeed many discoveries > > at the far end of physics are fuelling mysticism by suggesting > > undiscovered links to the cosmos. This process is admirably described in > > an article by John Horgan in the /Chronicle of Higher Education/. Mr. > > Horgan takes us through some of the discoveries of physics, noting on > > the way that every finding merely leads to more questions. To make > > matters worse, there is a Zen effect: the more truth we find, the more > > likely it is that truth will cloud over our vision of the living world. > > [Chronicle of Higher Education > > <http://chronicle.com/free/v49/i14/14b00701.htm>] > [snip] > > On this most sacred of weekends in the United States festal calendar, > I would suggest -- in all seriousness -- that one will learn > more about the relation between rationality and mysticism > by reading Dr. George Leonard's _The Ultimate Athlete_, than from > all this mathematized thneology. > > "The mystical" is within: When will scientists start reflecting > on their experience doing science? I once knew a PhD atomic > physicist who, outside the lab -- kind of like Super[bowl]man > cross dressing as Clark Kent -- went on American Indian mystical > trance trips. I never could get him to CONVERGENCE, i.e., > to having the trances in the lab, and applying his spectrometers > etc. to the trance world. > > Robert Musil (author of _The Man Without Qualities_, _Precision > and Soul_, etc.), wrote that, long ago, Western humanity took > a wrong turn in its understanding of the mystical, associating > the mystical with fuzzy-minded mental states instead of with the most > lucid precision. Musil lamented that more engineers did not > have mystical experiences in the very acts of doing their > most exacting engineering work. Leonard shows that > Musil might have been less discouraged had Musil studied > the experiences top professional athletes have but dare > not tell anybody about for fear of losing their jobs. > > The further a persons travels down a wrong-headed path, > the longer it will take them to get back to where they can start over > on a better path -- provided they have enough time left to do so.... > > \brad mccormick > > -- > Let your light so shine before men, > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > > <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
